CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN PARTNERS' CAPITAL - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP)	Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP) General Partners’ Capital	Healthcare Trust of America Holdings, LP (HTALP) Limited Partners’ Capital
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 3,334,914	$ 3,256,294	$ 78,620
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			205,267	3,929
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Share-based award transactions, net		3,389	$ 3,389
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			(293)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(11,926)	$ (11,926)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(478)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 527	$ (527)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other (in shares)			18	(18)
Distributions declared		(64,884)	$ (63,578)	$ (1,306)
Net income (loss)		13,673	13,440	233
Other comprehensive loss	$ (390)	(390)	(382)	(8)
Balance as of end of period at Mar. 31, 2019		3,274,776	$ 3,197,764	$ 77,012
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			205,100	3,911
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		3,334,914	$ 3,256,294	$ 78,620
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			205,267	3,929
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner OP Units	2,603
Net income (loss)	21,236	21,656
Other comprehensive loss	1,519	1,519
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2019		3,214,469	$ 3,141,956	$ 72,513
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			207,186	3,848
Balance as of beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2019		3,274,776	$ 3,197,764	$ 77,012
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			205,100	3,911
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner OP Units		2,603		$ 2,603
Issuance of general partner OP Units (in shares)				91
Share-based award transactions, net		2,102	$ 2,102
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			(3)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(169)	$ (169)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(6)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		424	$ 1,209	$ (785)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other (in shares)			27	(27)
Distributions declared		(64,913)	$ (63,579)	$ (1,334)
Net income (loss)		16,560	16,259	301
Other comprehensive loss	(381)	(381)	(374)	(7)
Balance as of end of period at Jun. 30, 2019		3,231,002	$ 3,153,212	$ 77,790
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			205,118	3,975
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner OP Units		51,804	$ 51,804
Issuance of general partner OP Units (in shares)			1,840
Issuance of limited partner OP Units in connection with acquisitions (in shares)				72
Issuance of limited partner OP Units in connection with acquisitions		2,000		$ 2,000
Share-based award transactions, net		2,337	$ 2,337
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			31
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(65)	$ (65)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(2)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		67	$ 6,018	$ (5,951)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other (in shares)			199	(199)
Distributions declared		(66,389)	$ (65,134)	$ (1,255)
Net income (loss)	(8,463)	(8,577)	(8,463)	(114)
Other comprehensive loss	2,290	2,290	2,247	43
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2019		3,214,469	$ 3,141,956	$ 72,513
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019			207,186	3,848
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		3,430,644	$ 3,358,279	$ 72,365
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			216,453	3,834
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner OP Units		50,020	$ 50,020
Issuance of general partner OP Units (in shares)			1,675
Share-based award transactions, net		3,203	$ 3,203
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			(236)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(4,624)	$ (4,624)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(154)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 6,776	$ (6,776)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other (in shares)			273	(273)
Distributions declared		(70,001)	$ (68,867)	$ (1,134)
Net income (loss)		18,208	17,901	307
Other comprehensive loss	(22,498)	(22,498)	(22,138)	(360)
Balance as of end of period at Mar. 31, 2020		3,404,952	$ 3,340,550	$ 64,402
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			218,483	3,561
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		3,430,644	$ 3,358,279	$ 72,365
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			216,453	3,834
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner OP Units	0
Net income (loss)	24,563	25,001
Other comprehensive loss	(23,672)	(23,672)
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		3,274,351	$ 3,212,663	$ 61,688
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			218,566	3,534
Balance as of beginning of period at Mar. 31, 2020		3,404,952	$ 3,340,550	$ 64,402
Balance as of beginning of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			218,483	3,561
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of general partner OP Units		1,378		$ 1,378
Issuance of general partner OP Units (in shares)				47
Share-based award transactions, net		2,100	$ 2,100
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			(1)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(174)	$ (174)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(7)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 1,096	$ (1,096)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other (in shares)			40	(40)
Distributions declared		(69,989)	$ (68,827)	$ (1,162)
Net income (loss)		13,725	13,489	236
Other comprehensive loss	(3,228)	(3,228)	(3,176)	(52)
Balance as of end of period at Jun. 30, 2020		3,348,764	$ 3,285,058	$ 63,706
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			218,515	3,568
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Share-based award transactions, net		1,832	$ 1,832
Share-based award transactions, net (in shares)			28
Redemption and cancellation of general partner OP Units		(296)	$ (296)
Redemption and cancellation of general partner units (in shares)			(11)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other		0	$ 813	$ (813)
Redemption of limited partner OP Units and other (in shares)			34	(34)
Distributions declared		(71,071)	$ (69,938)	$ (1,133)
Net income (loss)	(6,827)	(6,932)	(6,827)	(105)
Other comprehensive loss	$ 2,054	2,054	2,021	33
Balance as of end of period at Sep. 30, 2020		$ 3,274,351	$ 3,212,663	$ 61,688
Balance as of end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020			218,566	3,534